As described in JP-A-2002-44745 (page 5, paragraph 0050, and FIG. 1) and ECHONET specification Ver1.10 (Section 7, page 3-1) issued by the ECHONET consortium, a conventional communication adapter apparatus is constituted by only a communication unit that communicates control signals for remote control. Functions for interpretation of the control signals and management of system information are mounted on home appliance control units in home appliances.
In addition, as described in ECHONET specification Ver1.10 (Section 1, page 4-4, FIG. 4-1, form 4) issued by the ECHONET consortium, the conventional communication adapter apparatus incorporates a converting function for existing communication interfaces having different specifications for each apparatus to realize remote control.
Further, as described in JP-A-01-228395 (page 3 and FIG. 2), in a conventional domestic control system, when attribute information (model names, power consumption, etc.) concerning loads such as air conditioners and lights are set in a communication adapter or when the attribute information set in the communication adapter is changed because of extension or the like of the system, code numbers of the loads have to be set using a DIP code switch every time the attribute information is changed. Since such setting using the DIP code switch is complicated work, as described in JP-A-06-68097 (FIG. 1), a domestic control system, which sets code numbers in a communication adapter using barcodes and a barcode reader, has been proposed.
As described in JP-A-2-130799 (FIG. 1), in a method of writing data in a nonvolatile memory, when a ROM writer is connected to a terminal apparatus via connecting means, a STBY terminal of an MPU in the terminal apparatus is connected to a ground terminal in the ROM writer. This brings the terminal apparatus into a standby state and makes it possible to write a program in the terminal apparatus. Thus, update of the program for an EEPROM can be performed without soldering work.
However, since the conventional communication adapter apparatus does not have common interface mean to communication control means, there is a problem in that the communication control means cannot be changed according to a type of a network.
Since it is necessary to incorporate communication management and control programs for remote control in a control device in an apparatus, there is a problem in that burdens on resources such as microcomputers and cost of the resources increase.
Since the communication adapter is required to function together with an apparatus, there is a problem in that various kinds of system setting cannot be performed unless all apparatuses come into an operating state at the time of execution of works.
Since an adapter itself holds communication installation information, when the adapter is replaced because of a failure or the like, there is a problem in that complicated work of resetting for the adapter involved in resetting for a system is required.
When abnormality of the system occurs, since a control function is incorporated in the apparatus, there is a problem in that it is difficult to judge whether the adapter is abnormal or the apparatus is broken down.
When it is attempted to have power supply from home appliances for simplification of execution of works, there no function for power supply management and no means for providing and controlling information and there is no means for controlling functions of respective units. Thus, there is a problem in that it is essential to supply power to the respective units constituting the communication adapter and cost of power supply circuits of the home appliances increases.
For the setting of attribute information such as model names and power consumption of connected home appliances and the change of setting involved in extension of the system, the barcodes and the barcode reader are required and time and labor consuming work using the barcodes and the barcode reader is required.
Since only the ground terminal is disposed in the ROM writer, the conventional ROM writer, the conventional electrical apparatus, and the conventional writing method using the ROM writer and the electrical apparatuses can be applied to an apparatus incorporating a microcomputer that changes to a writing mode when the microcomputer is pulled down to a ground level but cannot be applied to an apparatus incorporating a microcomputer that changes to a writing mode when the microcomputer is pulled up to a predetermined voltage. As a result, in writing, it is necessary to provide a ROM writer according to specifications of a microcomputer incorporated in the apparatus.
The invention has been devised in order to solve such problems and it is an object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus that gives common interface means to communication control means and is capable of changing the communication control means according to a type of a network.
It is another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus for home appliances connectable to a network with little burden on resources such as microcomputers of the home appliances and little increase in cost of the resources.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus for which execution of works is simplified and it is possible to perform various kinds of system setting without connecting home appliances in an operating state to the communication adapter apparatus.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus that does not require complicated work such as system resetting at the time of replacement of the communication adapter and is replaceable easily.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus that, when system abnormality occurs, makes it possible to judge whether an adapter is abnormal or a home appliance is broken down.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter apparatus for connecting home appliances through a network while saving power and without increasing cost of power supply to the home appliances to be connected.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a communication adapter that can automatically set attribute information on home appliances without using barcodes and a barcode reader and, even if the attribute information is changed, can change the attribute information easily without using the barcodes and the barcode reader.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a ROM writer and an electrical apparatus with high universality that can be used regardless of specifications of microcomputers, and a writing method using the ROM write and the electrical apparatus.